La Vie Sans Glee
by The Minsk
Summary: Life Without Glee. . .Finn learns what life is like in a world without glee club.
1. Wishful Thinking

DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy! :)

A/N: Voila! Welcome to my new story. The title is "La Vie Sans Glee" which means "Life Without Glee."

* * *

La Vie Sans Glee

Chapter One: Wishful Thinking

* * *

"I don't know mom, okay?" Finn tried to keep the overwhelming annoyance he felt out of his voice, but he failed miserably. He noticed the hurt look in his mother's eyes but felt no remorse. "I doubt it." He turned around on his bed and buried his face in a pillow.

"But you haven't gone all week, and Mr. Schuester called last night. He's worried about you." She gave Finn her own worried look from the hallway. "Look honey, it's been almost a week since Sectionals. I think you should go today. It might make you feel better."

He scoffed and closed the door, tuning out his mother and her pleas for him to go back to glee. He didn't care. He never wanted to go back. Glee had ruined his life.

It had been a rough few days for Finn. He'd found out the truth about the baby the day before Sectionals, and he'd been hiding away in his room ever since. He still went to school and now that basketball had started he had another distraction, but he hadn't stepped foot in the choir room since Monday. He hadn't even talked to his other teammates. He made no effort to be friendly. He wanted to be left alone.

He was miserable. It felt like there was a hole in his chest where his heart should have been. He felt empty. He couldn't summon up the energy to care about anything. He was angry and violent. He wanted to lash out at anything and everything. He couldn't even have a conversation with his own mother without getting her upset.

It had all started on Monday, after they had performed their special song for Mr. Schuester. He was surprised he even remembered how to smile for their performance. Even while he was dancing he wanted to run across the choir room and beat Puck to a bloody oblivion. Afterwards, he had wanted nothing but to escape. But Quinn had pulled him aside to talk. He was still furious, but he'd needed answers. He needed to know the truth.

He'd asked her why she had cheated on him in the first place. She said she'd had a few wine coolers and felt bad about herself.

"Why would you have felt bad about yourself? You had everything, Quinn! What else did you need?" She had the decency to look ashamed.

"I was jealous of all the time you were spending in glee club. I hated seeing you dance with Rachel."

He was stunned.

She had ruined his life over the _glee club_.

That had been the last straw.

He could deal with the slushie facials. He could even deal with the name-calling and the loss of popularity. But the fact that someone he'd trusted had tried to sabotage his life over the _glee club_. . .was unforgivable.

So he was done. Just like he'd said before Sectionals. He was done with glee and everyone in it.

Even Rachel. She was a reminder of what had caused all the pain in the first place. Spending time with her was what caused Quinn to find comfort in the Puck's bed.

The damn glee club.

He never should have joined that stupid club! He should have just taken the detentions from Mr. Schuester, and he would have been done with it. Now he was as much a loser around school as anyone else in the club. He'd been fooled by his girlfriend, tricked by his best friend, and lied to by his teammates. No one was giving him the time of day lately. But he still got plenty of slushie facials.

After a few days of reflection, something he'd never done until now, he realized something. This was all because of glee. Everything in his life had been peachy until he joined the show choir.

He would still be popular. He wouldn't want to murder Puck every second of the day. He and Quinn would still be together. And she would not be pregnant.

Glee had been the cause to all his problems.

Part of him wished he'd never joined glee club.

He crawled out of bed. School was going to be another day of torture. There was a glee rehearsal that afternoon, and he was sure Rachel was going to try and talk him into going again. And he will probably wind up saying something that will make her upset again.

He got into his car to drive to school and when he got there, there were no empty spaces in the lot. He had to park across the street.

He walked into school and right away someone threw a cup of iced coffee over his head. Perfect. He tried to change in the locker room and someone had broken into his locker and wrote "PUSSY" in big letters on the inside. He slammed his gym locker shut and stayed in the sticky clothes all day, not caring at all. He felt a murderous rage course through him all afternoon, and he stared daggers at everyone in the halls. Anyone who came up to him that day got nothing but nasty looks and snarls.

There was only one person who was able to get him to have a conversation all day. Rachel followed him out of Spanish class after the bell rang. He knew she was following him, but he didn't acknowledge her. When he looked at her, he thought of glee. And when he thought of glee, he thought of betrayal. Sure, she might have been the one to tell him the truth, but she was still a part of the group who had ruined his life.

She followed him out of the school, even though he had been positive she would be going to glee. She wouldn't give up on him, no matter how hard he tried to push her away. He knew she liked him. There was a part of him that really liked her, too. But he didn't even feel like that part of him existed anymore. He was so filled with anger, he forgot what nice emotions felt like. He was too volatile and too angry to even think about those things. He turned on her, furious and annoyed. Didn't she realize he just wanted to be left alone?

"What, Rachel?" His tone was clipped, and she stopped dead in her tracks. She frowned, looking intimidated by his body language and tone, but gathered up her courage and searched for something in her bag.

"I have something for you, Finn. It's the sheet music we've been working on since Sectionals. So when you come back, you won't be behind." She held out a light blue folder with gold stars on it. "Here, take it."

"I don't want it!" She was startled but held her head up high. He guessed she was used to his surly attitude now.

"But, Finn, we're in competition with Vocal Adrenaline now. We can't slack at all or else. . . "

He cut her off. "I'm not coming back to glee, Rachel. I said I was done with it and I meant it."

She started to shake her head. "You don't mean that, Finn. You're still upset." NO SHIT!

"Yeah, I am upset, Rachel. And I do mean it. I quit." He noticed tears fill her eyes and he couldn't deal with her emotion. He was too overwhelmed with his own crappy life to deal with her tears.

"But, why?" This simple question made him snap.

"Because glee is the reason my life is a joke! Quinn told me she cheated on me because of glee club and the time I spent there. My life was ruined over the stupid show-choir!" He saw her wince when he called glee stupid, but he didn't care. "Sometimes I wish I had never joined glee. I have a feeling things would be a hell of a lot better."

She shook her head. "You shouldn't say those things, Finn. We never would have been friends without glee!"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever." The tears started to fall freely from her face. He'd hurt her again and couldn't summon up the emotion to care. He started to walk away towards his car. As he was crossing the street, he heard Rachel scream his name frantically. He turned around and noticed a mail truck speeding down the road, feet away from his body. He saw Rachel's scared face out of the corner of his eye.

And then, nothing.

* * *

He opened his eyes and immediately thought he was dead. The light in front of him was so bright it was hurting his eyes. Was this heaven? God, please don't let it be hell! He realized then that he was in pain, which meant he couldn't be dead.

Unless he was a zombie!

He lifted up his head and moved his arms and legs. He wasn't dead! He was alive! But how?

He had been run over by a car! And not just any car, a mail-truck. It must have been karma. He had once run over a mailman; now a mailman had run him over.

"Finn? Finn are you okay?" He looked up and he saw Puck and a crowd of his friends huddled around him in front of the school. Puck reached a hand out to lift him off of the ground. Finn jumped to his feet as fast as he could, brushing aside the gesture.

"Stay the hell away from me, Puckerman." He spit out the name like it was venom. Puck's eyebrows raised in shock.

"Dude, what the hell? That mailman almost smashed you into a million pieces, not me!" He raised his hands in defense. Finn wanted to crush his dumb face in the palms of his hands.

"What the hell just happened? Why aren't you with Quinn at glee?" He had seen him with her right before Rachel followed him out of the school, walking towards the choir room.

Puck looked at him with a strange mix of humor, shock and horror. "Are you sure that mail truck didn't smash your head in, bro? Quinn, _your_ Quinn, is at Cheerios, like she always is on a Friday afternoon. And glee club? Did you just imply that I was in the glee club? Did you smoke the weed I left at your house left week? I told you to stash it for me-- my mom's been checking my room!"

Finn stood in front of Puck with his mouth gaping open. What the hell was going on? "The truck didn't hit me?"

"No, I pulled you out of the way. You're really lucky I was there, Finn." He could have sworn it was Rachel who had warned him about the truck. Wait, hadn't Rachel just been here? Had she left for glee already without checking if he was okay?

"Have you seen Rachel? She was right here a minute ago." He was too confused to be angry anymore. What Puck was saying didn't make sense at all. . .

"Dude, Rachel_ who_?

It was Finn's turn to look at Puck like he was an idiot. What did he _mean_ Rachel who?

"Rachel Berry." Puck still looked confused. "Rachel, Puck. From glee club."

Puck looked annoyed now. "Dude, what are you _talking_ about. Our school doesn't even _have_ a glee club!"

He was completely still, he didn't even think he was breathing.

"But, Mr. Schuester had asked me, months ago, to be in the glee club." His confusion was evident in his tone and Puck finally looked like he'd remembered something.

"Oh yeah, you told me about that. He'd asked you to do either six weeks of detention or join the glee club to make up for something, and you took the detention. Good choice, man. Glee club is lame. It's like, as lame as you can get." Finn tried to let this sink in, but he was completely flabbergasted. "But it doesn't matter though. It's not like the guy even works here anymore."

"What?"

"Yeah, he left to be an accountant or some shit. Hasta la vista, baby."

Finn stood in front of the school, unable to fully grasp the situation he was in. It was impossible! This couldn't be happening. This wasn't real!

He had never joined glee club.

Mr. Schuester had never been inspired to stay with New Directions and was now gone.

Maybe he really_ was_ dead.

He looked at Puck and tried to accept the idea that he'd somehow been thrown into a different world or something! That truck had hit him and sent him into another dimension!

He felt happiness flow through him like a drug coursing through his veins. He'd gotten his wish! He'd never joined New Directions!

This was amazing!

He hugged Puck, unable to hide his unbridled joy. Before he could register his reaction, he ran to his car. He had to go home and make sure this was real. It could be a dream, maybe. He pinched himself. Yup, it hurt. Not a dream.

He pulled up in front of his house and ran inside. His mother was in the kitchen, and he ran up to her and placed a hand on each shoulder. Her eyes shot wide open in surprise and he started to throw a million different questions at her.

"Am I your son?"

She looked shocked. "Yes, Finn, what's going on?"

"Am I on the football team?"

Her shock changed to confusion. "Yes, honey. . .why. . ."

"Basketball?"

"Yeah. . ."

"Glee club?"

His mother looked at him like he was a stranger. "Glee club? No. I didn't even know you liked to sing."

He was floored. He'd been singing non-stop for the past few months before Sectionals, and now his mother was telling him she'd had no idea he liked to sing! It was like the past four months never even happened!

"Who is my girlfriend?"

"Quinn Fabray. Did you hit your head or something?"

"Is she pregnant?" She looked about ready to explode in frustration.

"SHE BETTER NOT BE!"

"Never mind, never mind. And what about Puck?"

"He's been your best friend since Cub Scouts. Finn, _what happened_?"

He pulled his mother in for a hug. He'd hadn't been this happy in weeks. Maybe months.

"A bad dream, Mom. I had a really, _really_, bad dream."

* * *

Salut mes amis!

Yeah, I know Finn is a big asshole in this chapter, but he will suffer greatly when he realizes how different life is without glee!

Until Next Time. . .*sings* Don't Stop. . . Reviewing!

Merci Mille Fois

The Minsk


	2. Harsh Reality

DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy! :)

A/N: I am so glad you're enjoying the story so far! It's different, but I think different is good! We need to shake things up a bit sometimes.

**ALSO** This chapter is UNEDITED! I wanted to get this to you asap, so I skipped the edits on this chapter and uploaded it as is. My lovely beta, hope813, has been so overwhelmed lately, I wanted her to have one less thing to worry about. Love you, dear!

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La Vie Sans Glee

Chapter Two: Harsh Reality

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Finn sat on his bed with his hands over his face, thinking about everything that his mom had said to him. He was still in awe of what had happened. He was seriously living in some alternate universe where he'd never joined glee. How was this even possible?

He looked over at his desk, and noticed the shiny plaque he had received from Sectionals was no longer there. He realized that it wouldn't exist in a world where he'd never joined glee. He'd liked that plaque, too. It reminded him that he had once been a winner.

He thought about what Puck had said to him before and tried to let it all sink in. Quinn was still his girlfriend. He didn't know what to think about that. She was still on the Cheerios, which probably meant she wasn't pregnant. That meant that they were still the 'It' couple that they'd been before glee. And what about Puck? He was treating Finn like they were still best buds. Should he just slip back into the life he'd been living before glee? Like it had never happened?

He nodded his head to himself. He'd gotten his wish. This was the opportunity of a lifetime.

He wasn't going to take it for granted.

He heard his phone ring. It was Puck. He picked it up. "Hello?"

"Dude, what was with that hug before? It was totally gay." Puck sounded annoyed.

"Sorry, I was just. . .happy I wasn't dead."

"Well, c'mon dude. I'm right outside your house. Let's go!"

Finn was confused. "Let's go where?"

"What we always do on Friday afternoons, drive around until we can find beer and a party!" Finn smiled. It really was just like the old times!

He ran out to Puck's car and hopped in the back seat with some of his other friend's he'd hadn't seen in ages. These guys hadn't talked to him since September. They were driving around the neighborhood and pulled into a 7-11. Puck went inside and bought a bunch of stuff. Finn sorted through it all in the backseat.

He'd bought three cartons of eggs, a 40-ounce of Old English, and a bunch of candy.

"Dude, what's this for?" He said pointing to the eggs.

Puck gave him another funny look, "What do you think it's for? The Geek Police!" Finn's heart dropped into his stomach.

The Geek Police. That's what he and Puck used to call themselves when they would drive around town and throw things at the unpopular kids at school. Today, it was eggs.

His heart started to pound. He was still doing this stuff? He'd given up picking on kids a long time ago. It made him feel like such a jerk. Especially when he really got to know the people he'd been torturing, like Kurt and Artie. Then he realized, without Glee, he never would have known what it was like to think outside of the popularity box he'd been locked into. He quit being a bully after he stood up for glee and became a part of the group. Without glee, he was still the guy who threw eggs at people. Thank God it wasn't Pee Balloon day.

He'd never thought of this. Could he really go back to being on the Geek Police after he knew what it was like to have stuff thrown at you every single day? After he knew what it felt like to be humiliated?

He sat in the backseat and stared at the eggs like they knew the answers to all of his problems.

After a few more blocks, Puck started to slow the car down. "Pass me a carton, dude. I've spotted our target!" He passed the eggs up front and the other guys all took some from Finn as well. He held one in his hands and felt the weight of it. He hadn't thrown an egg in a long time. "There she is! Alright guys, get ready. Prep your ammo!" Puck started to slow down even more and Finn could see the girl out of the passenger's window in the back. He couldn't see her face, but he felt bad for her already. She was going to be showered with eggs without any warning.

"Fire!" The guys all hung out of the windows and started to throw the eggs at the target. He saw most of them hit her, and she stopped on the sidewalk and tried to shield her face with her folder. They were laughing and Finn was even a little bit tempted to throw his as well.

Until the car passed the girl and he realized who it was.

It was Rachel.

He almost dropped the egg on his lap.

In his shock and surprise at his situation, he hadn't even thought about Rachel. He poked his head out of the window to get a better look at her. She was dripping in egg and it was all over her bag and her books. She looked sadder than he'd ever seen her, and she made eye contact with him as the car was driving past her. She gave him a look filled with pure hate and Finn was floored. She didn't even recognize him.

He'd remembered something he'd forgotten before. His argument with Rachel before the truck sent him into this crazy non-glee universe. _"You shouldn't say those things, Finn. We never would have been friends without glee!"_

Without glee he never would have met Rachel. She was one of the most important people in his life and she didn't even know who he was. In her eyes, he was still the popular quarterback with the cheerleader girlfriend. He had probably been torturing her the entire time! Slushies, eggs. . .of course she would hate him!

"Stop the car!" He put the cartons of eggs on the lap of the guy next to him and he hit the back of Puck's chair. "I said, stop the car, man!" Puck pulled over and all the guys turned around to look at Finn.

"What's up dude? Are you still going to meet up with us at Jeff's house later?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I gotta go." He jumped out of the car and started to walk towards where Rachel was still standing, covered in eggs. She was wiping her books on the grass to remove most of the egg. He felt terrible. What was he even going to say to her? She didn't know him in this reality! But that didn't stop him from talking to her like they were still old friends.

"Hey, Rachel!" He jogged up to her and her eyes grew wide in shock. She didn't say a thing, she just stared at Finn.

"Um, you know my name?" She sounded like she couldn't believe that Finn knew who she was. He was starting to get really anxious about this wish.

"Of course. It's me, Rachel. It's Finn." He was hoping against hope that she hadn't been affected by his wish, and that she somehow knew him. He saw no recognition in her eyes. Panic seized his heart.

"Um... Finn Hudson, right? Football Finn? Why are you talking to me?" He didn't know what to say. She started to look suspicious. "Is this another trick? Are you going to rub the eggs in my hair or something?"

"No! Rachel, I want to help you." She looked at him incredulously. "Here, there are some egg shells in your hair." He reached out and started to pick off the shards of egg shells in her hair. She stared up at him, wide-eyed and cautious. "I'm sorry about Puck and the guys. They're a bunch of jerks." He smiled at her and a bright blush spread all over her egg-covered face. He bent down and picked up her books.

"Um, Why are you being so nice to me? You put a stink bomb in my locker about two days ago." Wow, he really _was_ still a jerk in this reality! He thought about it. He had treated Rachel so horribly. Before Sectionals and after Sectionals, he never could get it right. He even treated her poorly in a different universe. He had always wanted to make it up to her. This was his chance. He had a fresh start with Rachel now. He could make up for everything he'd done to her, in this reality, and the glee-reality.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Rachel." She smiled timidly at him and he felt finally felt. . .better. He felt warm and calm for the first time in weeks. He'd forgotten how nice it was to be with Rachel, without any pressures beating down on him. He was about to ask to walk her home, when Puck and his friends came back around with the car and pummeled Rachel with more eggs for the second time. He stood there, shocked and completely helpless as she was attacked with more and more eggs.

"Good job, Hudson! You distracted her so we could come in for another sneak attack!" She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and horror on her face. She grabbed her books from him and turned and ran in the opposite direction.

He just stood there, speechless and frozen in shock. Now she probably thought he had planned this all to humiliate her more! How was he ever going to fix things with her if she already thought he was nothing more than her personal torturer?

Maybe this universe wasn't as great as he thought it would be.

* * *

Finn practically ran home after that. He couldn't get the look on Rachel's face out of his mind. Her standing in front of him, all covered in egg and completely humiliated. She thought he was a soul-less douche-bag, just like all the other guys at school. But he wasn't that guy! Not anymore, at least.

He wanted to call her, to explain everything to her. But when he opened his phone, her number was no longer in the contacts list. Why would it be in this reality? She wasn't his friend here.

The frustration took control of him. How much more different _was_ this crazy world? What was going to happen on Monday when he went back to school?

He ignored all the calls he'd received that entire weekend. He stayed on his computer all throughout Saturday and Sunday and tried to look up information about parallel universes and alternate realities. He found nothing but concepts he could barely understand. String Theory, wormholes. He couldn't make sense of it. Nothing helped him at all.

He was sleeping weirdly, too. He kept having the same dream. It was completely black; he couldn't see anything. But he could hear things. He realized he could hear Rachel's voice. And in his dream, it was the Rachel who could remember him. He could hear her crying. His subconscious was reminding him of how much he'd hurt her in the past. After two nights of the same dream, he'd wanted nothing but to see Rachel again. He needed to make her realize that he was different from the other guys at school. Maybe if he fixed things with Rachel here, the world would fix itself and he could somehow return to his old life. He realized he didn't want to live in a world where Rachel didn't know him.

He drove to school Monday morning feeling exhausted and frazzled. He'd had the same dream again, and the sound of Rachel crying was really starting to get to him. He needed to find her and set things straight with her. He thought it was the only way to fix this reality. He pulled into a spot and immediately saw Puck waiting for him by his car.

"Dude, what happened to you this weekend? I called you a million times!"

Finn shook his head. "I didn't feel good. I stayed in." Puck shrugged and they started to walk towards the school. He heard a shrill voice behind him calling his name and he turned around and had to do a double-take.

Quinn was walking up to him, stomping her feet and looking very agitated. She also looked very not-pregnant. She walked right up to him and pinched him on the ear.

"OW!"

"Finn Hudson, I called you all weekend long and you didn't answer a single one! Not even a text!" He pulled away and started to rub his ear, still shocked from her lack of pregnancy.

"Quinn! I-I'm sorry, uh, babe." He had to remember that they were still dating. She was staring daggers at him.

"I hope you bought your tux this past weekend." She tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for a response.

"Um, my tux? For what?" Her eyes shrunk into slits of fury.

"For what? FOR WHAT?!? Are you really as stupid as you look?" He winced. She was still just as mean as she was before. She was probably more intolerant, though. Seeing as she'd never been pregnant, she'd never lost her touch as Queen Bee of McKinley. "The Chastity Ball is this Friday, Finn! I've been bugging you for weeks to get your tuxedo!"

Finn just stood there, grasping for straws. He had no idea what to say to her. Puck playfully slapped his shoulder.

"It's okay Quinn. You should just dump Finn and take me as your date. I look bangin' in a tux." Puck and Quinn shared a look he'd seen plenty of times before. He'd realized something else about this reality. Sure, Quinn wasn't pregnant here, but he could tell they still had a thing for each other. He'd ignored that look way too many times in the past to ignore it now. He was not about to live in two different realities where Quinn and Puck screwed him over. This was his chance to do things the right way.

"You know what, Quinn? That's not a bad idea. I think we should break up. Take Puck to the Chastity Ball." He turned around and walked into school without even gaging their reactions. He thought he'd heard her screaming. He didn't care. He needed to find Rachel.

He walked through the halls and couldn't find her anywhere. People kept stopping him to ask if he'd broken up with Quinn, and for once in his life, he'd wished he wasn't so popular. He saw a bunch of people who he knew from glee: Kurt, Mercedes, Tina. They all looked at him like they were afraid of him. He didn't like that at all. Some of them put up shields in front of their faces to block a projectile attack and Finn wasn't even holding anything. Was he really that much of a bully without glee? He couldn't take this much longer!

He heard the bell ring, but he didn't want to go to class. He was overwhelmed with everything about this new reality. He didn't even feel like himself anymore. He felt like he was losing everything that had made him happy.

He'd never realized how important glee really was until it was gone.

* * *

Salut Mes Amis!

Poor Finn is so lost in this new reality! How will he ever return to a world with glee and New Directions?

Until Next Time. . .*sings*. . .Don't Stop Reviewing!

Merci Mille Fois

The Minsk


	3. The Honest Truth

DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy! :)

A/N: Man, I had an amazing day. If you honestly knew how good my day was, your head might explode.

* * *

La Vie Sans Glee

Chapter Three: The Honest Truth

* * *

Finn ran to the nearest safe haven he could think of in order to avoid going to class. He couldn't deal with this new world he'd cursed himself into. He thought he was having a nervous breakdown. He wished he had someone to talk to. Normally when he'd had problems, he talked to Mr. Schuester. But Mr. Schuester was long gone, all because of Finn. The only other person he talked to was Rachel, and she thought he was jerk.

So he ran to the auditorium. He knew that whenever life was tough he could always go on stage and sing his problems away. It was almost like therapy for him, especially when things had gotten rough with Quinn and the baby. Once he was on stage, everything else just melted away.

But even the auditorium looked different. The scenery that he and the team had built wasn't there. The stage was bare, except for a piano.

And sitting at that piano was Rachel.

So this is where she had been hiding all morning. She probably hadn't heard the bell ring. She was sitting at the piano and tapping idly at the keys with her eyes closed. As he walked toward the stage, he heard her humming. He tripped up the stage steps, and she finally noticed him there.

She froze with her fingers above the keys, like a deer caught in the headlights. He picked himself off of the floor and started to walk towards her. She looked like she wanted to run away screaming. He needed her to stay. Even if she didn't remember him and everything they'd shared, he still needed to be near her.

"Good morning, Rachel." He walked towards her slowly, not wanting to scare her.

"Are you stalking me or something? Because I'll file a restraining order!" She said it bossily and he had to smile. At least she still had her spunk.

He shook his head sadly. "No. I'm not stalking you." He was standing next to the piano now, looking down at her. She looked intimidated.

"Then what are you doing here?"

He shook his head. Complete sadness flowed throughout him. He actually started to choke up. "I don't know. I don't know anything anymore." He collapsed onto the piano bench, fully overwhelmed with the reality he was stuck in. She startled as his body slumped right next to her on the bench, almost pushing her off. She didn't stand up to leave, though. He wouldn't know what he'd do if she left. He let his head fall forward until it fell upon the keyboard with a giant dissident noise. He eventually started to cry. She stared at him in complete shock.

"Are you okay?" She asked softly.

He lifted up his head and looked at her with watery eyes. "No, I'm not okay. _Nothing_ is okay." His voice was rough like gravel. She looked at him with sympathy, and he wiped away the tears on his face with his sleeve. "Sing for me."

She looked like she was questioning his sanity. "What did you say?"

"_Sing_, Rachel. Please tell me in this fucked up dimension you can still sing!" He threw his hands up in the air in frustration.

She looked confused but nodded her head. "Um, yeah, I sing."

"Sing for me, please?" He sounded like he was begging. "I need to know that there's something that's still the same as before. Hearing you sing always made me feel better. _Please._ You're the only person I can trust. I'm starting to lose hope."

She looked more than confused, now. She looked completely freaked out. But instead of running to the nearest exit she nodded, stood up straight, and took a deep breath.  
_  
When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me,  
speaking words of wisdom, let it be.  
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,  
speaking words of wisdom, let it be._

_Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.  
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be._

_And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree,  
there will be an answer, let it be.  
For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see,  
there will be an answer. let it be._

_Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.  
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be._

_And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me,  
shine until tomorrow, let it be.  
I wake up to the sound of music, mother Mary comes to me,  
speaking words of wisdom, let it be. _

He just sat next to her on the piano bench, letting her voice soothe his damaged soul. Thank God she still sounded the same. The sound of her voice filled him with a feeling like nothing else he'd ever felt in his life. Even when his world was turned completely upside-down, her voice was still a constant. He felt the tears start flowing again when she finished the final verse. She didn't even know him in this world, but she was still able to pick out the one song he'd needed to hear. He didn't feel like he was about to have a meltdown anymore, but he still wanted Rachel to remember him.

"Thanks, Rachel. I needed that."

She nodded timidly. "What did you mean before? When you said my voice always made you feel better. I haven't sung in front of anyone in a long time. And I know I've never sung in front of you."

He shook his head. "No, you sing all the time. You just don't know about it. It's all my fault, too. And to you, none of this makes any sense at all!" He said it with a bit of humor even though there was nothing funny about his situation.

She smiled a little bit. "You're pretty cryptic, you know that?"

"I don't even know what that word means."

"It means you're mysterious. You don't really answer my questions."

He turned around so he was facing her on the little bench. He wanted to tell her about his world; the world where there was a glee club and they performed together and expressed themselves through music. He wanted to tell her about their relationship and how he'd fucked up so many times and wanted to make things right.

"What if I were to tell you the truth? It's pretty intense. Do you think you can handle it? Or would you run away screaming?"

She placed her hands on her hips and looked at him with determination in her gaze. "Rachel Berry runs away from nothing."

He had to smile. She was too adorable for words. "All right, then. I'll tell you the truth. But after school, though. The bell rang, like, 20 minutes ago."

Her eyes shot open in shock. "Are you serious?! Oh no!" She grabbed her books and turned around to point a finger at him. "So after school, we'll meet here. And you'll tell me why you're suddenly treating me like your best friend?"

"Yeah. I promise."

"Why should I trust you?" She was still wary of him. She had every right to be.

"Because I know how curious you are. I know how much you want to know the truth." He stood up and walked towards her until their bodies were almost touching. She didn't move an inch, just looked up at him with wide eyes. He bent down and told her with all sincerity, "And I want to tell you the truth. I want us to have a fresh start."

She didn't look like she was breathing. She looked dazed. Then she smiled brightly, and his heart was filled with hope. "Okay. . .Finn. I'll see you here, at three."

She turned around and left the auditorium, and he begrudgingly dragged himself to his class. He'd wanted nothing more than to tell her the truth now, but he knew how much she cared about her spotless record.

All he had to do was wait until three and hope this universe didn't drive him crazy before then.

* * *

He wanted to crawl out of Spanish class that afternoon; that's how terrible he felt after it was over. In this reality, without Mr. Schuester around, they'd hired a real Latina woman to be their Spanish teacher, Señora Gonzales.

And ay Dios, she was tough!

At least Mr. Schuester spoke in English sometimes. This woman had rambled en español throughout the entire lesson and he hadn't understood a thing. She had asked him a question, and he didn't even know how to say "I don't know."

"Señor Hudson, I will say this in English so you might be able to understand. If you don't pass this week's exam, you fail."

It seemed like something else had stayed the same. His low grade point average.

He ran to the auditorium, itching to talk to Rachel and finally get this load off of his shoulders. He found her at the piano again, and she was surprised to see him. He was so grateful that she'd showed up, he hugged her when he got to the piano. She was a little stiff in his arms, but she didn't slap him or push him away.

"I'm so glad you came, Rachel." They sat down on the little bench again and he dropped his bag next to the large instrument.

"I'm pretty surprised you showed up, yourself. You'd said something about the truth. Well, spill."

He nodded. "Okay, here it goes. But you're not going to believe it. I just have to say it, though." She nodded and waited for him to gather his thoughts and start talking. "Remember the old Spanish teacher, Mr. Schuester? He'd wanted to start a glee club at the beginning of the year." She frowned and looked sad.

"Yeah, I'd tried out and nothing happened. He couldn't find enough people to join. Then he left to be an accountant."

"Do you believe in multiple realities? Like, parallel universes?"

The confusion was clear on her face. "Huh?"

"That maybe out there somewhere there's a place where Mr. Schuester _had_ found enough people to form a glee club?" She looked at him like he was a crazy person. He felt like a crazy person.

"What are you _talking_ about?"

"Rachel, I am not the Finn you know. I know this sounds absolutely nuts, but you have to believe me. I'm from another dimension!" He knew how ridiculous he'd sounded, but there was no other way to say it.

She started to laugh. It was better than screaming, but not by much. "That's ludicrous! Absolutely inconceivable!"

"No, Rachel! Mr. Schue had asked me to join and I said _yes_. We were the captains of the club. We had a full twelve-member team. We won Sectionals and were on our way to Regionals. We were best friends!"

She bent her head down with her hand on her chin, deep in thought. She looked a bit amused, but she also was seriously considering everything he had just said. His heart started to pound. If she didn't believe him, he would be stuck in this crazy universe forever with no Rachel.

"Let me get this straight. You're trying to tell me that you, Finn Hudson, the quarterback of the football team and the captain of the basketball team, are from another universe."

"Yes."

"Where you're also the captain of the glee club."

"Yes."

"And best friends with me, the most hated girl in school."

"Yes, Rachel. _Yes_." He took her hand and the amused look was replaced with shock. "And we weren't just friends. We had _more_. We understood each other. We had a connection. I'll prove it to you." Her mouth dropped as he started to tick off facts about her. "Your favorite color is pink. You love musicals, especially the standards like Rodgers and Hammerstein and Sondheim. You want to win your first Grammy before you turn 23. You drink flaxseed protein shakes every morning. You think I'm talented. . .now you think I'm some punk bully, but that's not the real me. And I don't know how to get back home."

She looked into his eyes searching for the truth. She nodded her head and looked determined. "Well we have to figure out a way to get you back, then."

His eyes shot wide open in shock. She believed him? "You believe me?"

She smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah. I don't know why. Part of me just wants to trust you. And I do."

Gratitude filled his every pore, and he pulled her small body into his chest for a crushing hug. She was a bit stiff again, but eventually fell into his embrace. She pulled away and looked at him quizzically.

"But if you came here from another dimension, how did it happen?"

He shook his head. "I don't really know. We were talking and I had said I wished I'd never joined glee club. Then I went to walk across the street, and I got hit by a mail truck. When I came to, I was here. Without a scratch."

She looked troubled. "So, how are we supposed to get you home?"

He shook his head. He honestly hadn't thought that far ahead, yet.

"I have no freaking idea."

* * *

Salut mes amis!

Rachel knows the truth! Will Finn ever get home?

Until Next Time. . .*sings* Don't Stop. . . Reviewing!

Merci Mille Fois

The Minsk


	4. Second Chance

DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy :)

A/N: Less than a month until Glee comes back into our lives and to quote Lady Gaga, im "So Happy I could die, and it's alright."

* * *

La Vie Sans Glee

Chapter Four: Second Chance

* * *

"So what was it like?" Finn looked down and saw Rachel with a pensive expression on her face. They were walking home from school together. They had stayed in the auditorium for almost an hour. Finn had explained everything to Rachel. He'd started from the very beginning of New Directions and told her about Baby-Gate, Invitationals, Sectionals, the mattress commercial, and even the week Sue was the co-advisor.

"Huh?"

"Glee club. What was it like?" She sounded sad. He rubbed the back of his neck and thought about her question.

"It was fun. Even though the people in the group had their differences, we were all still able to come together and perform. And we sounded _good_." He smiled down at her tenderly and he saw her blush. "You were our star."

She inhaled sharply. "I was?"

"Yeah. I swear Rachel, you would sing and people's mouths would drop open. You ruled the glee club. We used to sing the lead solos together."

She ducked her head down to hide the bright blush that had spread over her cheeks. Her eyes were wide open in disbelief. "We would sing together?"

He stopped walking and held her arm so she wouldn't walk away. He looked down at her intensely and she was trapped in his hypnotic stare. "Yes. And I miss it _so _much. I think about everything I had taken for granted before, and it makes me sick. I want to make it all up to you, Rachel. I thought if maybe I was able to set things right with you here, then I would wake up and just be back home. But I don't think that's going to happen."

She looked confused. "What do you have to make up to me? You keep saying that. I don't understand."

He sighed. He might have told her about the club, but he told her nothing about their relationship. The secret kisses, the manipulation, the feelings that he'd always had for her but was too afraid to act upon. . .

"Let's just say I didn't always treat you the best." She frowned a little at his vague response. He took a deep breath. He would never set things right if he didn't tell her the truth. The complete truth. "You made it clear to me from the very beginning that you liked me." She burned brightly like a tomato. "But I never told you how I felt, and we were on a bit of a roller coaster for a while. Then Quinn got pregnant and I tried to be your friend, but it was overwhelming to have feelings for you when I was with her. So I kind of led you on for a bit. Before I shut down completely and stopped talking to everyone."

She nodded her head, completely soaking in all the information Finn was sharing with her. "So, you liked me back?" She said it like she couldn't believe it was real.

"Yes, Rachel. I liked you a lot. I still do."

"But you didn't like _me_, you liked the Rachel from glee club." This whole alternate universe thing was really confusing!

He shook his head. "No, you're still the same. Same voice, same style, same attitude. You just don't know me."

She smiled a little bit, happy that he liked her even if she was from a different dimension. "So you think that if you repent for your past with Glee-Rachel, it will help send you home?"

"I have no idea. I'm grasping at straws here. I've never traveled through dimensions before, and nothing I try is working."

"Well, how were you planning to make it up to me?" She looked so innocent and naive. She trusted him even though he was literally from another universe. He leaned down until their faces were inches apart and he took her into his arms. He placed his lips on hers without any warning and she melted into his embrace. He kissed her softly, tenderly, like he was kissing porcelain or glass. He felt her tremble in his arms and he held onto her even tighter, not wanting to let her go. When he pulled away, she looked at him with dazed and unfocused eyes.

"We'd never been able to kiss like that before. We kissed twice, but they never turned out well." It took her a couple of seconds to snap out of her daze, and she stared at him with wide eyes. She touched her lips in disbelief and looked up at him, searching for answers.

"So if this worked, and you wake up in the morning back home, what will happen to me? Will the Finn from my world come back? Will he go back to torturing me, not knowing about you and everything we shared?" She started to get a little hysterical. "Will I have to live knowing that there's a place where I missed out on love and friends and opportunities? What about me, Finn?"

The look on her face crushed his heart. She was right. He had fallen into her life and pretty much dropped a bomb on her world. He'd told her about everything she had missed out on, all because of him. He took her into his arms again and held her close. He didn't want her to suffer because of him. She'd done enough of that for a million universes.

"I don't want that to happen. I won't let it happen."

"You can't say that. You might wake up in the morning and be gone!"

"Meet me at my locker before school tomorrow. If I'm still here, it means that my stupid theory didn't work. And if that's the case. . .I'll give up. I'll stay here with you."

She gasped at the thought of him staying. "You would give up your world; your friends and your family-- for me?"

He smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yes, Rachel. You were pretty much my only friend, and my mom is still here. I'm not going to give up on the opportunity to have a second chance with you."

She beamed at him and launched herself into his arms. He caught her and closed his eyes as she held onto him for dear life. "Finn, you don't understand. . .I don't want to let you go. No one has ever even given me the time of day before and here you are, telling me you like me and care about me." She started to cry into his chest. Her voice was laced with tears and sarcasm. "_Of course_ you'd have to be from another dimension to like Rachel Berry!"

He pulled away from her so he could look into her eyes. "Shh, it's okay, Rach." He held her face in his hand and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. "I might be from a different world, but I'm here now. C'mon, let's get you home. It's been a rough day."

"And what about tomorrow?" She said sadly.

He shook his head. "I don't know, Rachel. This whole alternate universe stuff is about to make my head explode."

* * *

He slept restlessly that night. He'd had the same dream for the fourth night in a row, and it was really starting to effect him. He'd heard Rachel crying and it sounded so sad. It completely pierced his heart and made him want to go home. This time, she'd been talking to him through her tears, begging him to go back.

_"Finn. . .please. . .come back. . .we need you. . .I need you. . .Please. . ."_

He woke up crying that morning. He looked on his desk and the Sectionals plaque wasn't there.

Nothing had changed. He was still stuck in a life without glee.

He let his frustration seep into his thoughts, and he felt foolish about his previous logic. Making amends with Rachel did nothing to help his cross-dimensional dilemma.

But at least she would be waiting for him at school. He let that idea give him solace. He'd made a promise to Rachel that he would give up his attempts to return to his old life if his crappy plan didn't work.

Well, it hadn't worked.

So, he was going to keep his promise.

He closed his eyes and remembered the Rachel from his dream. The one who was begging for him to return. He remembered his friends from glee, the ones who didn't know him now. He remembered Mr. Schuester and the music he had taught them.

He said a silent goodbye to them all and got ready for school.

Rachel was waiting for him.

He walked into school and went straight for his locker. When he saw Rachel waiting for him, he smiled. She was pacing around with her forehead crinkled, deep in thought. She looked up and saw him walking toward her, smiling. The worried look melted off of her face and she ran into his arms, almost squealing in joy. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. Plenty of people stopped to stare at the open display of emotion, but neither Finn nor Rachel moved. She pulled away from him and searched his eyes for the answers to her unspoken questions.

"You're here." It was a statement, but she made it sound like a question.

"Yeah, I'm here. No one said I had a degree in physics."

"So, you'll stay?" She looked so hopeful, so desperate, he couldn't resist capturing her lips in a soft kiss.

"I'll stay with you, Rachel. I don't think I'm going anywhere."

* * *

The days turned into weeks. The weeks turned into months. Finn had lost all hope of ever returning back to his old life. It didn't even feel like it had been real anymore. Like he had said the very first day, it had all seemed like a dream.

He just slipped into the role he had filled before glee, except now Rachel was his girlfriend instead of Quinn. He didn't even suffer all that much because of it. Because he'd never joined glee, he had never experienced the sharp drop in his popularity from Baby-Gate and New Directions. Sure, Rachel was still the freaky diva chick, but she was hot. People just thought it was like a Cinderella story or something: the popular quarterback falls for the hot freaky chick. People even stopped picking on her because she was dating Finn.

He was actually happy, though, in his new life. Sure, glee had been a big part of his old life, but once he had Rachel by his side, he didn't really dwell on it that much anymore. He found himself thinking less and less of glee. In fact, without the demands of glee, Rachel was able to tutor him and help him pass his classes. He was actually doing better in school. And as long as he had Rachel, he could handle the little differences. After a while, it all seemed like it was normal.

The only reminder he'd had of his old life were the dreams. The same dream he'd had every night since arriving in this world. He could hear the old Rachel calling to him, talking to him, singing to him. She was begging and pleading with him to come home, and he couldn't say anything to her. Every time he tried to speak, no words would come out. It was driving him crazy. He woke up in the mornings feeling dazed and unfocused. He thought about not sleeping at all to avoid the dreams. He missed the old Rachel who he had fallen for, but his heart had healed with the new Rachel of this world. She was his confidant, his everything here.

He had a second chance with Rachel in this world. They were happy together, and the anger that he had once felt in his heart was healed by her love. He realized one day that he had fallen in love with her as well. They had been sitting in his room, just lounging around one afternoon. He was playing video games while she sat on his bed, asking him questions. She never got tired of hearing details and stories about his old life. She asked him endless questions about the people in glee club and the songs they would sing. She would ask him to sing the harmonies he'd learned, and she would sing along. It was the closest thing to glee as he was going to get in this reality, and he laughed and said it was just like old times.

"Do you miss it?" She asked him without looking into his eyes. She bit her bottom lip.

"I do, still, a little. But I'm happy here with you. It would be a lot worse without you." He dropped his controller on the floor and crawled onto the bed until he was lying next to her. He held her close. "I love you, Rachel. I don't care if I ever go back."

She snaked her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a soft kiss. "I love you too, Finn. I want you to stay here, forever." They shared a smile and another kiss and relaxed into each other's embrace, falling into a light nap.

Finn didn't dream of Rachel after that anymore.

* * *

Salut mes amis!

Finn has given up on his old life. . .will he ever go back to a life of glee?

Until Next Time *sings* Don't Stop. . .Reveiwing!

Merci Mille Fois

The Minsk


	5. Hello, Goodbye

DISCLAIMER: I neither own glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy :)

A/N: Grab a tissue. You might need it for this chapter.

* * *

La Vie Sans Glee

Chapter Five: Hello, Goodbye

* * *

Rachel Berry walked through the white, sterile hallways, navigating the turns and corners like a pro. She waved at the nurses and orderlies who knew her by name and stopped outside of the room she'd been heading toward. She took a deep breath and tried to clear away all of her emotions. She knew how upset she would be once she walked into the room. It would do no good to start crying now.

She turned the handle and opened up the door to Finn's room. She felt the burning sting of tears behind her eyes and tried to ignore them as best as she could. So much for prepping your emotions. She took her usual place next to the bed and grabbed onto his warm hand.

She'd thought she'd be used to seeing him like this, seeing as she'd been here every single day since December. She stroked the hand she was holding and reached over to place a kiss on his forehead.

Finn had been in a coma for three months, three weeks and four days. She'd been keeping track. Since then, she hadn't had a decent night's sleep; she'd been haunted every night with the vision of Finn's body being struck and thrown around like a rag doll by a speeding mail truck. She'd had to hear the sound of screeching metal and crushing bones. She'd had to see him lying in a crumpled heap in front of the school, broken and bloodied and half-dead.

She'd had a horrible four months.

She looked over at Finn and marveled at how normal he looked. To anyone unaware of his condition, he just looked like he was asleep.

She knew better. He'd healed a lot since December. But she knew the damage that had been done.

He had broken many bones: four ribs, his right wrist, his left shin and ankle. His left arm had been completely shattered by the force of the impact and now had a metal plate in it, holding it all together. One of his lungs had collapsed. The head trauma had been massive, and there'd been swelling in his brain. She had barely been able to look at his broken body for days after the accident. But she still came every day. She sat with his mom and cried with her. She would report back to the glee club on his condition. In the beginning, the coma wasn't that deep; he'd still been responding to stimuli even though he wasn't conscious. She was constantly at the hospital trying to get through to his unconscious mind. It had seemed to help. The doctors were hopeful.

But the days had turned into weeks. The weeks had turned into months. No matter how much Rachel talked and sang and cried, he never woke up. He'd stopped responding to all stimuli.

The doctors were giving up. Tomorrow they were sending Finn to a hospital in Columbus with a special ward for comatose patients. The Lima hospital didn't have the means to look after him anymore.

Rachel was here today to say goodbye.

She let her head fall onto the bed and rested it next to his body. She let the tears start flowing; she knew she would never be able to get through this without crying anyway, so it wasn't worth delaying the inevitable. Her lips quivered while her body shook with sobs. She hadn't allowed herself to cry like this at the hospital in a long time. She usually saved her break-downs for when she got home.

She gathered her thoughts while she let the tears soak into the bedsheets. She sat up straight and sniffled a little bit. She held onto his hand while she took deep, calming breaths. This was her last chance to tell Finn what was in her heart. She wasn't going to mess it up by being hysterical.

She used to beg him to wake up. She used to cry and scream and plead for him to open his eyes and come back to her. But today, she was going to talk. She needed to say what she never had been able to say to him when he was awake.

She closed her eyes and remembered Finn from before the accident. She thought of his smile, and his laugh. She thought of everything they would never be able to do together.

She took a deep breath, squeezed his hand, and got ready to say goodbye.

* * *

Finn and Rachel were sitting on the fifty yard line of the football field having a picnic on a lazy afternoon. Finn was lying with his head in Rachel's lap, and she was dropping M&M's into his mouth while they watched the softball team practice in the distance. Finn was so content it should be illegal. Every day should be this blissful. But here with Rachel, every day _was_ this blissful.

"I love you, Rachel." He looked up at his girlfriend, and she frowned at him.

"Do you?" She asked with a twinge of sadness to her tone. He sat up and turned around until he was facing her.

"Yes, of course! Why would you ask me that?" She wouldn't answer him. She looked away. "What's wrong?"

She reached over and placed a hand on his cheek. "If you love me, why haven't you heard me crying yet?"

He shook his head in confusion. Rachel wasn't making any sense. "What are you talking about?"

"I've been keeping you from her on purpose, Finn. This place was too good to be true, you couldn't help but lose yourself here."

"I don't understand." He was starting to feel very anxious. He also started to feel very dizzy.

"No glee, no Puck, no Quinn. You created the perfect world for us, Finn. A place where we could be together without any pressure or drama. A life without glee, a world where you and I could just be happy with each other. But it's not where you belong."

He grabbed her and held onto her. "I belong with you!"

She smiled. "So go back, Finn. I'm waiting for you. Goodbye."

He stared at Rachel in wonder as she started to disappear right in front of his eyes. One second, he was holding her in his arms and, the next, she was gone.

"Rachel? _Rachel!_" He called around him, but there was no answer. Panic spread throughout his body and the world around him started to change.

He looked around, and the football field started to literally melt away until there was nothing surrounding him but blackness. He felt oddly disconnected and disjointed. He couldn't see a thing, but he could hear something. It was muffled, but it was getting stronger.

He knew that sound. He would know that sound anywhere. It was the sound he'd heard in his dreams every night for months.

It was Rachel. And she was crying.

He felt very strange. He couldn't move his body, but he could feel the pressure of a hand on his. He felt it being squeezed lightly.

"Finn? It's me, Rachel." He wanted to scream in joy. He wanted to jump around and hold her until there was no tomorrow.

He still couldn't move.

"This is the last time I'm going to see you for a very long time, and I just wanted to say goodbye." Goodbye? Where was she going?

"The doctors told me the hospital in Columbus has an amazing coma ward where the specialists will take really good care of you." Coma? He'd been in a coma this whole time? Everything he'd experienced since the day of the accident, had been an illusion? "I wish I could come with you, but my dads won't let me use my college fund to live out of motels like your Mom is going to do."

He couldn't believe it had been a dream. It had all seemed so real! The alternate universe he'd been imagining had all been a trick of his mind. That's what the other Rachel had meant. His mind had created the ideal world for him. He had lost himself in the fantasy of a perfect life, while his broken body healed from the accident.

She started to sound sad. "So I just wanted to let you know, one last time, how much I miss you." She started to cry, the sound piercing his heart with anguish. "I love you, Finn. So much. But it's time to say goodbye."

No! He couldn't let her leave. He had to wake up! He loved her too. He needed her to know. . .

She squeezed his hand one last time.

He squeezed it back.

The sound of her sharp gasp echoed through the small room. Finn used every ounce of strength in his body to open his eyes. The light was blinding, and his vision was blurry. He saw shadows that became sharper and sharper with each second. The room he was in was tiny. He was lying on a bed and his body felt like it was made of lead. He tried to move his arms and legs and nothing worked.

But, by now, he could see. And the first thing he saw was Rachel's face, stained with tears and filled with joy.

"Finn?" She whispered in wonder, not fully believing what she was seeing.

He tried to talk. His mouth was so dry. He squeaked a little bit from lack of use, but was able to whisper a hoarse, "Rachel."

They were locked in each other's gaze for a few seconds, and Rachel took a deep breath.

"NURSE!"

* * *

Finn was exhausted. He'd been asleep for months, and he somehow managed to still be tired after a day's worth of medical tests. The second after Rachel called for the nurse, he'd been taken away for a series of brain scans and mobility tests. He was tested on his coordination, vision, speech, memory.

And he passed them all. Finn was fine.

His muscles were weak. He'd seen _Kill Bill_ enough times to know that when you've been in a coma, you're muscles start to atrophy. He couldn't walk, and he couldn't really move his arms up and down yet, but he could move his hands and toes. He would have to go through at least six weeks of physical therapy before he would be able to walk properly again. And he would have to quit sports because of the stent in his collapsed lung and the metal plate they'd put in his shattered left arm. He didn't really mind all that much. He did mind the giant Frankenstein-looking scar running up his left arm. And the other various scars throughout his healed body, including some on his head and neck. Now he really _was_ a Frankenteen.

He saw his mother about halfway through the day. Rachel had called her and she left work to see him in the hospital. He felt terrible when he saw her. She looked pale and thin. He could have sworn she didn't have as many grey hairs in December. She took one look at him and cried for almost an hour straight, holding his hand and stroking his hair. He must have put her through so much hell.

Finally at around dinnertime, he was returned to his new room.

Rachel was still there waiting for him.

She must have been sitting around the hospital all day long. She looked overwhelmingly tired, and it looked like she'd been crying all day. She stared at him while the orderlies lifted him out of his wheelchair and placed him on the bed. It was humiliating to be so weak in front of her, but he was happy she was still here. A nurse brought in some food for him and she asked him if he would like her to feed him. He declined. She placed the tray next to him and she left the room. He looked over at Rachel, sitting quietly in the corner. She was staring at him, and he smiled at her and gestured for her to sit next to his bed. She stood up slowly and walked over to him. She sat down and reached for his hand. He tried to grab it as much as he could. He was still weak and couldn't move his arms that much anymore. He'd used up almost all the strength he'd had during the tests.

"Hey." He whispered. It was still hard to talk.

"Hey." She was crying again. She was smiling at him, but he could hear the emotion in her voice and see the tears in her eyes.

"Do you think you could help me out with this? I'm kind of starving." He gestured towards the food and her eyes shot open in shock. She nodded at him and picked up the tray. She poked at the food a little bit and lifted up a forkful.

"This doesn't look awesome, but bear with it okay? Maybe tomorrow I'll bring you some Burger King." She was a little bit hesitant in feeding him, but she finally placed the forkful of food in his mouth. He was a little bit embarrassed to be so dependent on her, but he would rather Rachel feed him than some random nurse. He liked it. though. It seemed almost intimate. In a weird way.

Rachel continued to feed Finn his dinner. She blushed the entire time, and Finn was happy she'd been here today. If she hadn't come to say goodbye, he might still be in that coma.

He thought about the illusion his mind had created for him. He wanted to tell Rachel about it. He wanted her to know how she was the only thing he'd dreamed of. He wanted to tell her about the blissful days they'd spent together and how much he'd fallen in love with her.

Rachel lifted a drink up to Finn's lips and he took a big sip. He realized his dinner was over, but he still felt like he could eat a horse. Rachel sat next to him, looking a bit awkward.

"The doctors told me what happened to me." Finn took a deep breath. "They told me about the brain damage and the swelling. The broken bones and stuff. I don't know how long it's going to take to get better, but I want to, as soon as possible. I want to come back to glee."

Rachel looked stunned. "Are you sure?"

He nodded. "Yes, Rachel. Something happened to me in the coma. I'm not the same as before."

With this Rachel started to look worried. "What does that mean?"

"Remember the day of the accident? What I had said to you about never joining glee?" She looked terribly sad at the memory. She nodded her head and he continued. "When I slipped into the coma, that's what I dreamed of. A life where I'd never joined glee." He reached over and grabbed her hand. She started to cry again. "Life was so easy. No pressure, no drama. I found you, and we were _so_ happy together." He looked up at her and the cries turned into sobs. "And I slipped deeper and deeper into the fantasy. It was so easy to lose myself there. But I kept hearing you. And you brought me back. I'm never going to take anything for granted again, Rachel: glee, my friends, and especially you."

Rachel fell forward until her body was draped across Finn's bed. She let the tears engulf her, and she sobbed onto the sheets. He stroked her hair and let her cry out all her sadness and pain from the past few months. She held onto his body for dear life.

"Finn, I missed you so much. . ." He heard her cry in-between sobs. Her body was shaking, and he rubbed her back in wide, calming circles.

"C'mere." He held onto her upper body while she crawled onto the bed. She laid next to him on the small hospital bed and molded herself to the length of his body. He held her as close to him as the space would allow. She continued to cry, more softly this time, and he leaned over to place a kiss on her forehead.

"Go to sleep, Rachel. In the morning, when we wake up, it will all seem like a bad dream."

* * *

Salut mes amis!

What a sad chapter! Even The Minsk cried a little bit and I wrote it!

Until Next Time. . .*sings* Don't Stop. . . Reveiwing!

Merci Mille Fois

The Minsk


	6. Fix You

DISCLAIMER: I neither own Glee nor the characters. They are the property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. This is purely for fun. Enjoy :)

A/N: Welcome to the Final Chapter of the story! I know it was quite heartbreaking, but there is always a happy ending with The Minsk. I just make the characters work for it!

* * *

La Vie Sans Glee

Chapter Six: Fix You

* * *

"Are you sure it's okay, Finn? You really don't have to go today." He frowned at the motherly tone. His mom and Rachel were crowded around him, fussing over everything he did. "The doctors said you didn't have to go back for another two weeks; you should stay in and rest!" His mother had to stop looking at him like that or else he was going to wind up taking her advice.

He shook his head. "No way, I've been cooped up for too long. C'mon Rachel, we're going." Rachel nodded her head and helped him with his things. He wasn't walking his best yet, but he had an awesome cane (like Dr. House--he'd watched a lot of that in the hospital) that kept him steady while he tried to stay mobile. It was blue, with flames going up the sides. The past four weeks had been hell in the wheelchair. He was glad to be rid of it. He'd had enough of wheelchairs to last him a lifetime.

Rachel walked slowly with him on the way to school. She bit her lip in worry. "I don't want to sound like your mom, but are you sure you have enough strength to go to school today? You only got out of the hospital three days ago."

He looked down at her and smiled. "I know. But I honestly need to get out of the house. And as long as you're here, I'll be fine." He slid his free hand into hers and squeezed. "I never would have gotten out of the hospital so fast without you, Rachel. Thank you."

She blushed and smiled warmly at him. His heart fluttered in his chest. She was so amazing. She had been with him every day while he was in physical therapy. He could never have done it without her. She'd helped him in therapy sessions and did strength training exercises with him to help him build back his muscle. She had pushed him around the hospital grounds in his wheelchair so he could get fresh air and sun. She brought him music from glee and sang with him, something he'd missed more than anything. He had become so dependent on her, he was actually nervous to be away from her for the afternoon. But it was time to go back. He still had enough time in the school year that he could try to pass some of his classes. He definitely predicted Summer School in his future. Rachel had already promised to help him study.

She shrugged and frowned a bit. "I really didn't do anything, Finn. I was always in the doctor's way." Finn stopped walking and Rachel turned around, panicked that he wasn't feeling strong enough for the school day. "What's the matter? Should we turn around and take you home?" His head was down and he took a deep breath to gather his thoughts.

"Didn't do anything? In the way? Rachel, do you not understand?" He looked down at her with tears in his eyes. She'd never seen him cry, ever. "You did _everything_ for me. Everything. You fed me, you held me, you took care of me. You brought me out of a coma. You were there with me in my mind, healing my soul while my body healed itself. I _love_ you, Rachel. I couldn't have done this _at all_ without you."

They stood there on the sidewalk for a few moments, not moving. Finn didn't even know if Rachel was breathing, her body was frozen in place. Her wide eyes filled with tears and her face crumpled on itself in happiness. She launched herself into his arms and for a second he had to lean on his cane to steady himself. He wrapped his free arm around her and held her close.

"Finn, I thought you were never going to wake up. I thought I would never get the chance to tell you how much I loved you." His heart clenched. All those months, she'd been suffering while he was in the coma. All that time, she had thought she would never get to say the words she wanted to say that were in her heart. He knew the feeling well.

He also knew that he wouldn't take his life for granted again. Life could still be blissful as long as he had Rachel.

He tilted her face up to look at his and he placed a soft kiss on her lips. He could taste the salt of her tears, mixed in with a few of his own.

* * *

School that day was not as blissful as he remembered.

He'd been called "Coma Boy" all morning, and people tried to kick his cane out from under him while he walked. Thank God he still had enough strength to stay stable; he was afraid for the metal plate in his shattered arm and the stent in his lung. When he went to his locker before school, dozens of little envelopes fell out of it upon opening, and all of the letters were addressed to "Coma Boy."

He talked to Coach Tanaka and the man almost cried when Finn explained how he wouldn't be able to play for the football or basketball teams anymore. That was pretty disturbing. He got down on his knees and everything, and a man in shorts as high as his should never be on his knees.

But besides that, school was mostly the same. During lunch, Rachel found him and lead him to the choir room.

"We have something for you, Finn. Something to let you know we will always care."

He walked into the choir room and felt like he was stepping into his old life. Everything was exactly how he'd remembered it, and waiting for him inside, was the glee club and Mr. Schuester.

He took one look at his group of friends and felt the hot sting of tears behind his eyes. He scanned the room and soaked in the images of his friends; Rachel, Tina, Artie, Kurt, Mercedes, Mike, Matt, Santana, Brittany, Mr. Schuester, hell, even Puck and Quinn.

He was home. He was really, finally home.

He stood in the entrance of the choir room and everyone was waiting for him to say or do something. He walked forward with his cane and the first thing he did was walk up to Mr. Schuester and gave him a big hug. It had felt like a lifetime since he'd seen him. The other kids stood around waiting to talk to him, but the next thing he did was walk up to Quinn. Everyone in the room held their breaths. Finn was shocked at how pregnant she was. She looked ready to pop at any second.

Puck came and stood behind Quinn, placing a protective arm around her shoulder. They held eye contact for a stressful minute, and then Finn stuck out his hand. Puck shook it.

The members of the glee club almost collapsed in relief.

Finn went around to all of his friends and talked to them, trying to re-connect with his group. How could he have ever wished he wasn't a part of a group of people who cared about him so much?

After a few minutes, Rachel came over to him with a chair and sat him down. She'd done this before. He knew something was up.

"What's up, guys?"

Mr. Schuester stepped forward, smiling. "We've prepared a song for you. Well it was Rachel's idea, of course. But we wanted to let you know how much we care about you, Finn. And no matter what happens, we will always be there to help you."

Rachel stepped forward. "We love you, Finn." But he could tell from the look in her eyes that she really meant "_I_ love you." "This is for you."

She motioned to the pianist and he started to play the opening chords to the song. It took a minute to recognize it, seeing as modern music wasn't his forte. But when he realized what they had planned, his heart was filled with love. Rachel sang the lead, and she looked into Finn's eyes the entire time.

_When you try your best, but you don't succeed__  
__When you get what you want, but not what you need__  
__When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep__  
__Stuck in reverse__  
__  
__And the tears come streaming down your face__  
__When you lose something you can't replace__  
__When you love someone, but it goes to waste__  
__Could it be worse?__  
__  
__Lights will guide you home__  
__And ignite your bones__  
__And I will try to fix you__  
_  
Throughout the beginning verses of the song, he could not stop thinking about how poignant the song really was. _You have fixed me, Rachel. You fixed my body. You fixed my heart. You fixed it all. . ._

_And high up above or down below__  
__When you're too in love to let it go__  
__But if you never try you'll never know__  
__Just what you're worth__  
__  
__Lights will guide you home__  
__And ignite your bones__  
__And I will try to fix you_

During the instrumental break, Rachel stepped forward, away from the group, and walked up to Finn until she was right in front of him. She fell onto her knees and grabbed his hands. She sang the rest of the song with her face held up high, singing right to him. She was crying but still able to kill the ending verses of the song. Finn was crying right along with her. The rest of the glee club sang with just as much emotion, backing up Rachel's solo with strength and power.

_Tears stream down on your face__  
__When you lose something you cannot replace__  
__Tears stream down on your face__  
__And on your face I...__  
__  
__Tears stream down on your face__  
__I promise you I will learn from my mistakes__  
__Tears stream down on your face__  
__And on your face I...__  
__  
_When Rachel sang th_e_ final verse, he knew in his heart he had been a fool for _ever_ wishing for a life without glee. A life without glee was a life without meaning. A life without glee was a life without love.  
_  
__Lights will guide you home__  
__And ignite your bones__  
__And I will try to fix you _

**THE END**

* * *

Salut mes amis!

I hope you enjoyed this story. I hope I pulled your heart-strings. And I hope you enjoyed the fact I put a Coldplay song in when they REFUSED TO ALLOW RM to use them on the show! BASTARDS!

I have some sad news. The Minsk's grandmother passed away yesterday, so It might be a while before I can start writing again. But don't worry. I should be back by next week. The story is already planned out, I think you will enjoy it.

Until Next Time. . .*sings* Don't Stop. . .Reviewing!

Merci Mille Fois

The Minsk


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